There is no doubt that YouTube has a high earning potential. While most people on YouTube don’t earn in the millions, you can guarantee enough passive income to make this venture worth your time. On the contrary, some do blow up, and they receive hefty checks every month as a result. Case in point, Ryan Kaji, an 8-year-old YouTuber, made an estimated $26 million in 2019 just off YouTube.
Though it takes time and effort to get the ball rolling, the benefits you stand to reap as a successful YouTuber begs the question, “Why isn’t everyone a YouTuber?”
Becoming a successful YouTuber is no easy task. While the job demands a lot from you during the initial years, consistency, and quality content is what will drive the channel to a point, the income can be considered passive. Why is that 99% of the videos on YouTube get less than 1000 views and many people who set out, end up failing?
Here are 7 common mistakes beginners on YouTube make.
1 Avoiding proper promotion of your channel
While some YouTubers stand by the saying that your content will promote itself, this is far from the truth. People upload hundreds of minutes’ worth of videos onto the platform every minute. Given that there is such a large amount of content on YouTube, there is a definite need for promotion.
Although this is just one of the factors that influence your success, this can easily make or break your channel. Promote on social media and make use of trusted services that will help grow your online presence organically. SocioBlend is one such service that has made a mark in the niche of YouTube Promotion.
2 Ignoring SEO
Choosing to ignore SEO on your content is another mistake most newbies to the platform make. Although the excitement to get a video onto YouTube is exciting, the real aim is to get it to the people. This can only happen if the video has a proper title, thumbnail, meta-data, tags, and description.
If you are starting on YouTube, it makes sense to research about the key areas of SEO and optimize your video before pushing into the platform. You’ll thank yourself later. People earn money from videos uploaded 5-7 years ago, and this is only because they optimize their videos, making it easier to find.
3 Inconsistent Posting
Once you’ve got the SEO and promotion in place, then comes the regularity. YouTube functions on an algorithm and it hates inconsistency. You could put out two amazing videos in a row, but if you choose to upload them with a gap of months in between, chances are, the algorithm will push your video into the depths of their servers, never to be found again.
Most successful YouTubers have a consistent uploading schedule, with some even uploading a video every day. Though this might be difficult for people starting on the platform, having a consistent and regular schedule will go a long way in achieving your YouTube goals.
4 Compromising on content quality
Compromising on quality is another common mistake that most newbies tend to make. While consistent uploading is a move in the right direction, do not upload half-baked videos for the sake of it. You are better off not uploading it.
The main reason for this is that once the algorithm flags you as irrelevant, it becomes a lot more difficult to find your way back into the relevant track. It isn’t impossible but it’s not easy. Make sure to find a healthy balance between quality and quantity and upload videos that make you, your viewers, and the algorithm happy. It might be difficult at first, but you will get the hang of it in time. Be intentional about this.
5 Compromising on equipment
While we do not recommend waiting around for the perfect equipment to begin your YouTube journey, there are some minimum requirements. Given how much tech has improved in certain years, it would be a shame to upload videos in 480p and 360p quality. These tend to disappear just as quickly as they are uploaded.
Once you have a decent camera, rode microphone, and lighting in place, go for it. Do not compromise on equipment since this can easily break the channel, but do not wait around for an 8K RED camera to begin. This tends to become more of an excuse, rather than a reason.
6 Not finding your niche
YouTubers new to the platform sometimes tend to be all over the place when it comes to niches. Find a niche that you can create quality content on, and fill existing gaps in it. People have no incentive to subscribe to a channel that doesn’t deal with specifics areas. While vlogs work to a certain extent, for the most part, having a niche will go a long way in helping you achieve YouTube success.
7 Giving up too easily
The final mistake beginners make on YouTube make is that they give up too easily. While the initial journey might involve more time and effort than what you might make on the platform, once you get the ball rolling, the benefits will start coming in. YouTube is a wonderful platform if used the right way and can be a massive source of passive income on the long run.
To Conclude
While some of these might sound silly, some people are still uneducated on this, and end up squandering a wonderful opportunity with tons of potential. Make sure you do not make these mistakes and you are well on your way to achieving the life that you want for yourself on YouTube.
